LUNGU PRODS FARMERS TO PRESENT BUDGET PROPOSALS

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has urged stakeholders in the farming sector to make their challenges known as the Minister of Finance prepares the 2021 national budget so that their concerns could be addressed.

And President Lungu said value addition could help stabilise the economy and create employment for the Zambian people. Speaking after touring the Zongwe Crocodile Farm in Sinazongwe yesterday, President Lungu said there was need for people in the farming sector to say what they were expecting from the upcoming 2021 budget to help the Minister of Finance come up with a budget that could address their challenges. "As the minister prepares the 2020 budget, tell him what your expectations are so that your concerns could be taken care of," the President said. He said it was his Government's desire to focus on boosting investments, and come up with a clear roadmap on how to deal with their challenges. Mr Lungu encouraged the people in the farming sector to feel free to communicate with his ministers on how they would want to be assisted. And President Lungu said value addition was key to diversifying the economy and for creation of quality jobs. He said adding value to crocodile skins could play a key role in growing the economy and in job creation in Zambia than exporting it to Europe where items such as waist belts, wallets and other end products. On the diversification programme, Mr Lungu encouraged farmers to consider switching to other crops, from the traditional maize crop. He said farmers needed to tap into the production of other nutrious crops to survive. Meanwhile, Zongwe Farming Enterprises managing director, Johann Jordaan said poor road network was hampering growth of the farming sector in the area. Mr Jordan said he believed that once the road network was worked on and load shedding ended, the farming potential of the district would be awaken. Mr Jordan also appealed to the President to consider suspending the 10 percentage export duty on crocodile skins as part of measures to support the sector amid the global Covid-19 pandemic. And minister of Finance, Bwalya Ng'andu said Government would consider extending the suspension of the 10 percent export duty to cushion business from economic impact posed by the pandemic. Dr Ng'andu said Government had recently suspended the export duty to provide relief to businesses but would consider extending it.